Lost
by Unrequited-Eyes
Summary: What would happen if, 6 years later, Karin and Toshiro finally reunited? Not in the World of the Living, But after Karin DIES? Where do things go from there? How does Yuzu fit into all of this? Takes place 6 years after the 17-Month timeskip. I changed my summary again because I found out that IM NOT VERY GOOD AT WRITING THESE THINGS XD. R&R Please!
1. Chapter 1

**WHOO HOO! I love you guys! Thanks for the very nice reviews and stuff. I'm going to do some HitsuKarin fluffiness! Thanks for reading lil 'ol me's storays!**

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Six years had passed and the girls were now eighteen. Girls their age would move out, find a job, go to college, and maybe even snag a boyfriend. The girls wanted to do things like that as well, but. . . there was one _tiny _little thing stopping them now. They were dead.

Karin never even saw the car speeding down the road, as she was listening to a new album that Yuzu bought the previous day. Yuzu died nearly at the same time, being cornered in a alley by a hollow.

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Karin POV

The first question that popped into my head when I landed painfully on my butt in the middle of some dirt road was '_Where the hell am I?'._ I mean, I definitely just died. So... was this what Ichi-nii meant by the afterlife?

I turned, and gasped. When I was facing the other way, all I saw was open fields and not a living soul insight. But this... this was the very opposite. Little houses lined the dirt road, and people were talking to what appeared to be shop owners. I looked to my left.

Small children were a chasing another down narrow road and disappearing into the nearby forest. My feet moved on their own and started toward the little village. People turned and smiled at me, as if welcoming me. They reminded me of my sister Yuzu when we would get back home.

She always cooked the meals and packed our lunches. I wonder how she's doing. It could have only been a few minutes since I died. I hope she's okay...

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Normal POV

What Karin didn't know was that Yuzu had died shortly after her.

Yuzu had just exited the grocery store after grabbing some ingredients for her special soup. She was humming her favorite song from the album she gave Karin the the other day. They were really good. So good that she didn't notice the looming shadow behind her until her body was smashed against the alley wall.

Blood gurgled out of her throat and landed on the ground. A hand gripped her shaking forearm and yanked her up. It didn't feel...human. The hand was rough, and sharp points dug into her skin. She tried to look up at her attacker, but as soon as she lifted her head, she was thrown against the garbage bin.

She screamed, having felt a few bones snap. Growling started, and immense pain exploded through her ribs. Yuzu realized something. No _human _could attack like this.

It was a hollow.

Ichi-nii had finally told her and Karin the truth about all his weird behavior. Rukia was a soul reaper, who awakened his spiritual pressure, and turned him into a soul reaper as well.

An eye popped open. What she saw confirmed her suspicions. It was a small hollow, a little taller than her papa. _It's__ definitely powerful though_, Yuzu thought. She inhaled, and then winced. _He must have broken some ribs, and my tibia, and my arm..._

She felt something warm and wet on her arm, and she looked down.

Blood.

Lots of blood, gushing from her arm.

Yuzu knew that she wasn't going to make it. She worried about her family, about Karin. Her and Karin needeach other. They were two halves of one whole. She worried about her soul.

Would she pass on to the afterlife?

Or would she get stuck in the world of the living.

Her eyes fluttered closed, just as a light struck the dank alley. Yuzu could hear a faint growling and a screech, and then it was quiet. _Must be a soul reaper..._She thought drowsily. Yuzu was fading and she knew it.

"-uz. Yuzu? Yuzu!" Ichigo's voice called from somewhere beyond. She felt a sudden sensation, like she was being pulled, flowed through her body.

'Pop'

Yuzu was no longer laying on the ground. Or at least, not _her. _She was staring at Ichigo with sad eyes and a little smile. Ichigo stood up, walked up to Yuzu, and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Tears ran down her face for a few minutes, thinking about all the things she could not do anymore. And Jinta. She could still see him if she trained to be a soul reaper. Ichigo pulled back.

"You know what happens next, right?"

Yuzu wiped her face and nodded. "You're going to release my soul?"

"Yes, but not yet. I'm going to let you say goodbye." he gave her a pointed look, "Jinta can still see you, ya know."

She widened her eyes looked down. Her blushed coated her face, even in minutes after death.

"I know. I-I want to see him." she paused, and her face reddened,"...can he... feel...me?"

Ichigo, looking amused, nodded.

"Good. I want to say goodbye now." and with that she turned around and headed towards the Urahara Shop.

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Karin POV

A sweet old woman let me stay with her for the night.

_"You can stay as long as you like. It is never fun figuring out you're dead and and don't have a place to stay. Call me Grandma." _

The moment I saw her, I thought of grandma Haru. Her kindness and her toothless smile warmed my heart.

Tomorrow, I'm going to ask someone if I can speak to Ichi-nii. He needs to know what happened. And maybe, if he still checks up on us, he can tell me if Yuzu is alright. What I really want to tell him though is more than that.

I want to become a soul reaper.

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**XO Oh my goodness! So much writing! Well, I tried. I added some good old YuzuXJinta just cuz it's adorable. The HitsuKarin isn't here yet cuz this was only the first chapter, but I promise you, it WILL be in here. And it will be fluffy. Tanks!**


	2. The guest

**Chappie number 2! Hope it's not as confusing as the first chapter *sweatdrop* heh, ok...**

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_I want to become a soul reaper._

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Karin POV

I cracked one of my eyes open, but quickly shut it when sunlight crashed through the window and landed in my face. I stretched my arms above my head, and rolled over onto my stomach. I yawned, then inhaled deeply into the blanket surrounding me. It smelt wonderful. Like cold apples and peppermint. It also smelt musty in some spots because it hadn't been used in a while, but I'm not complaining. Grandma, the old woman who was letting me stay here, told me that this was the only blanket and pillow that she could offer. I think I looked at her funny, because she patted my back and murmured, "Do not worry, child. They haven't been used in a while only because they belonged to someone special. My little Shiro. Have a good sleep."and with that, she went off to bed before I could say anything.

Shiro. That sounded an awful lot like my Toshiro. _Wait, what! My Toshiro? He is not mine. I-I don't even like him like that. He's just a friend! Yeah. Just a friend who is kickass at soccer, and saved me like twice, has sparkling teal eyes, hair like snow... Dammit! Stupid handsome bastard-_

"Hello? Karin? Are you awake? I seem to have a guest coming over, so I ask if you would help me clean up a bit?" a little voice said from behind the thin wall.

"Yes, I am awake. And I would be glad to help you, after letting me stay. Thank you, by the way." I responded.

She chuckled, "You're welcome, Karin. As for helping me, there isn't much, but you can come out when you're ready."

"Okay."

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Gran wasn't kidding when she said the was little to clean. Her small home only consisted of three rooms: The main room, her room, and the room I was sleeping in. I told Gran that I could do all of the cleaning.

"Good! Now I can get to the cooking. Now that I think about it, you haven't eaten anything since you've passed, have you?"

I shook my head, "I knew souls could eat if they wanted to, but I didn't know we had to."

She snickered. "Oh no, Karin. We souls still have to eat. You see, we can still die here. The only difference is that in the Soul Society, when we die we simply cease to exist. Without our soul, we are nothing but a empty shell, or in our case, _nothing. _We aren't immortal, but we age differently than the living. The younger you are when you pass, the fast you age. You age until you are a fully devloped adult, then the process slows quite a bit. You, for example, are well developed, but would age faster than someone like me for a few years. Don't worry Karin, You won't turn into a old woman overnight."

The breath I didn't know I had been holding was released.

"By age 20, you would still look as you do now. At 30, you would look 20 or 21, but by then the process will start to slow. Do you understand?"

I nodded, not really sure what to say.

"Good." She walked past me and bustled around the little kitchen.

"Now where did I put that dang pot?"

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An hour later, we were done.

The table had delicious-smelling dumplings, rice, and oddly enough, _jellybeans. _I was tempted to sneak a few, but I resisted. I couldn't help think of how out of place candy was on the dinner table. When I was younger, I ate candy all the time. When Rangiku was assigned a mission for Karakura Town, she always bought candy, along with clothes of course. For Captain, she said, but she had to sneak it when Toshiro wasn't looking.

I missed him. I missed playing soccer in the fields with him. His fiery temper, how he always snapped, "_That's Captain Hitsugaya to you." _

His silky voice always made me shiver when I heard it. His white hair was soft and plush, and my fingers would itch to go through it. His rare smile. His electric eyes.

I waited and waited, but he never returned for a mission. I guessed that was good, that Karakura town was safe enough without soul reapers. When I'd ask Ichigo, he just shrugged. I waited at my window in hopes that he would just drop from the roof and crawl in like I'd fantasized. I had many fantasies about him, and they got...worse after I got older.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. _Is this the guest? _My stomach coiled in excitment.

"Oh, he's here already? My little Shiro's always early I suppose. Karin? Could you please answer the door, I just have to do something. I will be there in a moment!" Gran's voice rang through the little room.

"Sure."

My feet moved while my brain wracked through questions. _Does she mean Toshiro? Or someone else named Shiro?_ Nervousness replaced excitement, and I closed my eyes as my fingers wrapped around the handle. I took a deep breath and pulled the door open. My eyes opened and the breath I'd been holding was released in a shaky gasp.

Standing before me was six feet of a tan, lean body wrapped in a black kimono. His sleeveless white robe I had seen him wear before fluttered in the breezy wind. The turquoise sash had been replaced by a thin chain, but it still had the little star pin I remembered. It was his appearance that had changed the most.

His soft childish features were gone. His jaw was sharper, more defined. His cheekbones were more prominent, his nose straighter. His short, spiky hair was now longer and flatter (A/N: I'm referring to his hairstlye after the 17month change.) It look even softer, if that was possible. His bright, dragon-like eyes still had that same wild look they had six years ago. I bit my lip and blushed when I thought about how long I had been staring at him. I looked down, and then out of curiosity, I looked back up through my lashes. I think my heart stopped.

The same eyes I had just been studying were now roaming over me with a fevered pitch. I wasn't sure if I wanted to smirk or pass out. _Why is he-_

I didn't even see him move. I suddenly felt cold air wrap around me and I was staring at nothing. A tight, muscled body pressed against my back. Cold fingers sifted through my hair and uncovered my neck. His warm breath caused delicious sensations rolling through me and my stomach flopped. Lips pressed against my ear.

"What are you doing here, Karin?"

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**Gah. Toshiro would probably hate me right now. Karin might hit me. But who cares! These two make the cutest couple EVER! I'll update as soon as I can! srry!**


	3. Reunion?

**Sorry for the _very very_ delayed chapter! My computer stopped working and we went camping for a while. Gotta love those hot, humid days that make your hair go ****_poof, _****eh? When I actually got on the computer, I just sat there like an idiot. Sometimes I get the worst writers block _ever._ I Hope you like it. ^~^ I'm sorry if it's confusing!**

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_"What are you doing here, Karin?" He whispered._

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My eyes turned impossibly wide. I whipped around, grabbed his hands, and put our arms between us. I couldn't be that close to him and think sensibly at same time, not after what he was just doing. He looked surprised. I was too. My reflexes had screamed to get out of his grasp, and I did at a ridiculous speed. I stepped back, putting more distance between us. My face filled with heat, slowly trickling down my neck. I looked down, trying to collect my thoughts. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and my flew to the source. Toshiro's arms were crossed. He looked at me, his eyes filled with warmth and a small smile on his face.

"What was that?" I asked, flustered.

"What?"he gave me a bemused look.

His innocence unnerved me a little. Does he greet everyone like this? I pictured him doing it to another girl, and a feeling I wasn't familiar with wrapped around my stomach. Irritation sparked inside my chest.

"You came up behind me. You were playing with my hair! And you were talking in my ear."

"I was happy to see you," he said

I shivered. "A little_ too_ happy. Toshiro, you were touching me. You never do that."

"I haven't seen you for a long time," he laughed bitterly,"Six years, Karin. It's been six years."

Why was I being so cold to him? I had waited for him for years, and I'm finally seeing him. I felt a little miffed though. He finally showed up, but not to see me. When I had envisioned him coming back, it would be when I was _still alive. _He forgot about me. My fists clenched as anger boiled in my chest.

"And who's fault was that?" I was proud that my voice remained steady. My heart felt like it might break through my ribs. I was angry, confused, and ...sad.

An irritated expression painted his face, but hurt showed in his eyes. "I been trying to get some leave time, Karin-"

I blurted without thinking,"I'm dead, Toshiro!" My voice caught on his name.

He paled.

When his eyes widened, I had a brief taste of satisfaction, but it soon turned to guilt. He looked so fragile, like he would break if I breathed to hard. All my anger slipped away, my hands opened. His head dropped, and his hands clenched. I started towards him, but I hesitated. Would he get mad? Some guys _really _don't being comforted. I brushed the thought away. Toshiro wasn't most guys.

Slowly I stepped forward and awkwardly wrapped my arms around him. His arms immediately crushed me to him. My breath caught and i found myself dropping my arms to his waist. His face was buried in the crook of my neck. Warm breath contrasted with the coolness of his skin.

" I'm so sorry." he rasped.

I was kind of shocked by his showing of emotion. The Toshiro I remembered was emotionless, besides the occasional outbursts. I wondered if he just loosened up, or if he was opening up to me finally. My heart swelled at the idea, and my hands grasped him tighter. My voice was shaky. "Why?"

"I couldn't save you."

Tears caused my throat to clench and burned my eyes. "You couldn't have."

He pulled back, his hands sliding down to my waist. His fingers held me tight. _Not like I would move anyway, _a little voice whispered. Warmth spread throughout me, twirling in my stomach. The sensations dimmed a bit when I looked at him. Well, they didn't exactly dim - more like _died. _The expression on his face resembled that of a kicked puppy. _Oh. _He must've thought I meant he couldn't because he wasn't strong enough. I couldn't stand that looked, so I hurried to explain.

"No! I don't mean it like that! I just- I wasn't killed by a hollow, Toshiro. I got hit a truck. I wasn't paying attention. Next thing I knew, I was here."

Understanding flickered across his face. He looked relieved, but pain was still in his eyes. He cleared his throat, "Oh."

Toshiro seemed to have to forgotten where his hands were, not that I minded. He did though, and snatched his arm back to his sides. I let go of him, although I was reluctant to do so. My body missed his warmth, craved it. I wanted to be wrapped in his arms again, but something in his stiff gaze told me _that _wasn't happening. A few moments later, I could see his muscles relax. He reached out with one hand, brushing his fingertips against my cheek. My face warmed under his hand, which I'm sure he felt. His cold fingers felt good against my hot skin. My gaze lifted up to his and we automatically locked. He whispered, "I'm sorry I haven't visited you. I been trying for the past couple of years, but Head Captain wouldn't let me. I missed you."

My eyes fluttered when I felt tears build behind my eyes.

"I missed you too."

Something unmistakably not-fjust-friends surrounded the moment. I reached up, to touch his cheek, to see how his skin felt under my fingertips. Just before they reached their destination, Gran chose that moment to walk in. Her mouth dropped, stretching all of her wrinkles. We both jumped apart, startled. I put my hands on face to cool my face, and I looked at Toshiro. His cheeks were tinted pink, but that was all. He wouldn't meet my gaze.

Gran blurted, "You have a girlfriend Shiro?"

We both stuttered,"W-we're just friends!"

She looked unconvinced, but didn't add anything. She regained her excited demeanor and hobbled over to Toshiro. She threw herself on him, hugging him. he returned her embrace, and for a second my longing for him to wrap his arms around me washed over me. She pulled away and looked at both of us.

"Dinner's ready."

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**How'd you like it? Give me some opinions please? R&R please! Thanks :)  
**


	4. Nightmare

**I'm trying to avoid the whole Jamie's-being-lazy thing, so hopefully I will post a new chapter every week. Except for two weeks when I'm on vacation. This one's extra, extra, _extra _long. To make up for it. Thanks for all the feedback! I have never dated, never kissed, and never experienced all those mushy feelings. So when that stuff does come along, I'm writing purely based on reading experience. This chapter has a lot of awkward moments…I couldn't help it. Hope you like ;) !**

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Dinner was…awkward. Toshiro wouldn't look at me the whole time, his eyes flitting around the room. He didn't talk to me either. That hurt a little bit, but I just pushed it down. I chatted with Gran, telling her about how he and I met, and I told her about my sister. My heart clenched when I remembered.

Yuzu.

Was she okay? She knew about the Soul Society, so I guessed that if she found out about my death, she knew where I was. Still, was she out looking? That made my stomach churn. Yuzu had a high enough spiritual pressure to attract a hollow, but she wasn't strong enough to fight them. I had always been with her to fight them off, but now… I shivered, not allowing my thoughts to go in that direction.

"Karin? Are you alright, it's not too cold in here is it?" Gran asked, looking mildly concerned. That caught Toshiro's attention, but he looked away when I caught his eye. I looked back to Gran. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about my sister. She's not very strong, but I'm sure Ichigo will protect her now that I can't."

Her eyes widened to the point where I thought they might pop out. "You're Ichigo Kurosaki's little sister?" She shook her head, understanding spreading across her face.

"No wonder…"

Toshiro perked up, "'No wonder' what?"

She looked at him with a serious gaze. I was getting a bit unnerved by the way they were both scrutinizing me.

"You have not yet noticed? I thought you would. Shiro, it's her spiritual pressure."

Wait. What?

I looked at Toshiro for help, but he busy concentrating on seeing my spiritual aura. I couldn't help but think that, with his pursed lips, furrowed brows, and widening eyes, he looked unbearably cute. _Wow, you're being scrutinized, and this is what you're thinking about? Nice._

"It's almost like Kurosaki's…" he mumbled. His eyes were still wide, but the shock was fading. I still didn't quite get the big picture here. Why where they talking about Ichigo's spiritual pressure? My headed clouded with confusion. I wasn't anywhere near as strong as him.

Gran cleared her throat, "Well, you two should get going now. It's getting dark. Karin, it was lovely to finally meet you. I hope we see each other soon. Goodnight Shiro." She gave him a peck on the cheek.

Oh, I was _soo _confused now. My mouth opened to object, but nothing came out. I was leaving with _Toshiro. _No offense to Gran -I was grateful she had taken me in- but that sounded better than staying here. And I could ask about becoming a soul reaper.

Toshiro stood and walked over to the door. He turned toward me and held out his hand, his eyes inviting me in. I stood and bowed to Gran. "Thank you very much for letting me stay and for the meal."

"It was nothing, dear."

I smiled at her and started towards Toshiro, his hand still outstretched. My fingers met his and they wrapped around my hand. I glanced down at them, noticing how his hand was much bigger than mine. I looked back at Gran to see her smiling at the two of us.

"Take care of her, Shiro." She said.

He nodded and looked down at me. "Do you know what shunpo is?"

"If you mean the speed-thing, yeah, I remember Ichigo mentioned it once or twice."

A slightly amused expression settled on his face. "Good."

I think he liked confusing me. He'd been doing that non-stop since I saw him. I really didn't enjoy that. "What-"

A wrapped around my knees and I fell back as he scooped me up to his very warm chest. I involuntarily sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. His body stiffened but he didn't drop me, much to my relief. I was back where I wanted to be, in his arms.

I felt his neck muscles move as he bent down to my ear, "This is the quickest way. Trust me." The warmth from his breath felt nice against the chilly wind, and I felt myself scoot closer to his body.

"I do."

With a final wave from Gran, we were off. It felt like we were flying, the wind whipping past us as he moved. The breeze blew my hair back over Toshiro's shoulder, tangling with his. I could see blurs out of the corner of my eye, but I couldn't focus on anything. With the wind, the continuous _whoosh_ sound, and his warmth, I was beginning to nod off.

"Karin?" his voice rumbled in his chest.

I couldn't form any words at the moment, so I just mumbled, "Mm?"

His shoulders moved back and forth slightly, so I could tell he was chuckling. "You might want to stay awake for a bit, at least until I find a place for you to stay. It is getting late, so we can't check in with the head captain till tomorrow. Okay?"

"Mm'kay," my head was so fuzzy I couldn't stop the words passing my lips, " 'Shiro, you're so warm and-" At the last second, I realized what I was saying and froze, shutting my mouth. My cheeks warmed as I thought, _was I really just about to that he was warm and smelled like apples?_ Why-

Oh God. The tea.

Gran had said something before I'd poured it. I tried racking through my brain but it was too clouded. She had set out two different pots. One was her "special tea"; the other was black tea. I didn't like black tea, so I drank the other. When she said special, she must've meant it had alcohol. I scrunched up my nose as I thought _Great. That's just wonderful. Tonight'll be fun._ Consuming any alcohol caused dizziness and brought me night terrors.

I was already going with Toshiro to his house for the night, and might repay him by waking him up in the middle of the night with my screams. Awesome. I had to make sure though.

"By any chance, did that tea have alcohol in it?" my voice was little.

He grunted, "Her homemade tea did. It wasn't much, but didn't you have three cups?"

"Crap"

"What? Is something wrong? We are almost there."

I vaguely explained, "Let's just say I wont have sweet dreams, if I manage to sleep at all."

"Alcohol gives you nightmares." It wasn't a question.

"Yeppers." I muttered.

A few minutes went by. I was barely aware of the icy wind now, only on the heavy silence that lay between us. Neither of us spoke until he said, "We're here," and put me down. My body ached for his hold, but again I pushed it down. I took in my surroundings, noticing how little black and white flowers surrounded us. They looked beautiful in the fading light, like petals scattered about in all shades of gray.

He started towards a small house, and I slowly trailed behind him. I glanced at the scene one more time before ducking under his arm he opened the door with. The furniture was older, the small kitchenette furnished with a fridge and a few cupboards. The house was cute and homey, comfy. And I liked it.

Toshiro decided to talk again. "I'm pretty sure Matsumoto was leaving for a party a few hours ago, so you can take her room. She won't mind if you borrow some things. My room's across the hall." He pointed to a narrow hallway with two doors on one side, one on the other.

"Thank you. I'm going to try to sleep." I said

Toshiro nodded and headed toward the fridge. He swung open the door and ducked down, studying its contents. He took what looked to be leftovers out and placed it on the counter. Then another container, and another. I rolled my eyes as I headed toward my room, but before I reached the door he muttered, "'night, Karin," from inside the fridge. He couldn't see, but I was smiling. _He may be ridiculously attractive, but he's still a boy._

I pushed the doors open and stepped inside the room. It had everything Rangiku, from a vanity stocked with cosmetics, a mini-fridge that had to have the sake, and a big mattress covered in a fluffy gray comforter. I went to her closet and grabbed a plan white button-down nightshirt. I shimmied out of my tank top and jeans, and slipped the shirt on. It was a bit _big_ in the chest area, and I tried buttoning the top buttons, but they only went up to

above my navel. _What if Toshiro saw me in this?_ The thought made me flush. He wouldn't be in my room anyway.

I suddenly yawned, feeling wary. My legs moved without me, pulling me to the bed. As my body sank into the mattress, I turned my face into the pillow, expecting to smell apples and peppermint. My nose crinkled when instead spicy perfume and sweat was what I got. I rolled back onto my back and stared the ceiling, waiting for the pull of sleep.

My eyes fluttered shut, and I sighed. I was tired, for the first time in weeks. It could've been the alcohol, and I didn't honestly care, but I had a feeling tonight's nightmare wasn't going to be the usual. It would be much worse. I felt the black cloud of sleep in the back of my mind, slowly taking over. I didn't resist as the tendrils pulled me into a dream.

_Yuzu had been acting weird lately, like she's disconnected. I asked her if something was wrong, but she shrugged it off. Even now, as we're getting ready to go to school. Dad wasn't doting over us, which is unusual. The whole house felt too quiet, like it was just Yuzu and I. I didn't say anything, Yuzu wasn't responding to anything else anyway. She had this distant look on her face, like she was expecting something. _

_I glanced worriedly at her as we walked to the bus stop. My stomach clenched and my blood turned cold. She was _never _so emotionless. It scared me a little. I was starting to think Yuzu was gone, replaced with just an empty shell. Just as she finally acknowledged my look, a screech, followed by rumbling footsteps echoed through the still neighborhood. A hand, followed by a body, appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Yuzu so tightly I winced. No cry of pain came out her mouth, she just stared at me blankly, her eyes glazed over. Blood seeped out her mouth, staining her pristine white shirt. She made no move to escape as the hollow raised its arm. I realized what was about to happen and I screamed._

"_YUZU!"_

_I started running toward her, but it was too late. I hadn't brought any weapons. But it didn't matter. I had to save my sister! Yuzu, my twin, my opposite, my best friend. I was still moving, pushing harder and harder against the cement with each step. I wouldn't make it. Her glassy brown eyes followed eyes me, still to far away, but I heard her words as if she was right beside me._

"_It's all your fault."_

_The hollow whipped its arm down, releasing Yuzu at the same time. Her body plummeted towards the ground at a speed that made her look blurry. She hit the ground with a sickening crunch, telling me it was over. The hollow disappeared in a flash. That hit a nerve. He killed her, but didn't consume her soul? I didn't want her to be eaten, but it was like he killed her for fun…I reached her body, collapsing onto my knees as hot tears fell. She was gone. I held her head on my lap and bent over her body. I couldn't help it. I shook her shoulders and whispered her name, my voice almost gone. "Yuzu. Come on, wake up. Yuzu."_

"_Yuzu." I choked on a sob._

"_Yuzu!" _

_I sounded like a strangled animal. I couldn't think about anything besides what used to be my sister. The sobs broke loose, my shoulders heaving. My tears dripped onto face, washing the blood from her cheek off. I was in the middle of the street, crying hysterically, my knee in a puddle of Yuzu's blood, but I didn't care about what people saw._

_My sister was dead._

"_YUZU!"_

"_Karin."_

"Karin!" strong hands shook me awake. Instinct had me lash out, my fist connecting with a hard stomach. When I heard his grunt, I remembered where I was. Toshiro grabbed my hands and held them above my head. The mattress sagged under his weight, and warm breath hovered above my face.

"Karin," his voice was soft.

I realized that I was still crying and tried to stifle it. I choked a little, but eventually my blood calmed down. My breathing came out in ragged gasps. Toshiro's teal eyes were a dark moss. I whimpered, "I'm so s-sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he whispered gently. His hands let go of my arms, his cool skin soothing mine as one of his fingers brushed down my arm. That was when became aware of the fact that my shirt was gaping open, my bra clearly visible. I blushed a thousand shades of red and held my shirt together with a shaking hand, grateful that it was too dark to see anything. I had a feeling he already saw.

I stumbled, "I-I mean for punching you."

He chuckled. "It's worse in training." His smile faded, replaced with concern. "Are you alright Karin? You were screaming like you were in pain when I came in. Thrashing so much you almost took me out and fell off the bed." He smiled, but it was weak. "What was it about?"

I took a shaky breath. "Yuzu was killed by a hollow." Once I said the words, I couldn't stop. "Before he threw her, she looked at me with glassy eyes and said it was my fault. And then she died," my voice cracked on 'died'.

I couldn't see him anymore, but I felt him lay down beside me. He held out his arms, and I gratefully scurried into them. He held me close, one hand on my back, the other playing with my hair. Toshiro was what I needed right now. He knew just how to calm me. No fake soothing words. No questions. Just having someone be there did the trick.

I buried into his chest, which I discovered was shirtless. I could feel the contours of his muscles under my palm, warmth flowing inside me. My hand drifted down his stomach, stopping above his belly button. He drew a ragged breath.

"Are you okay, Toshiro?"

"Yes", he said tightly. I realized he might've been uncomfortable with me touching him, so I curled my hands to my chest.

"Thank you," I whispered, already falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Soooo? Did you like it? Review and tell me what ya think :3 I won't be posting for a while cuz of my vacay, sorry. That's why this is longer.**


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